This morning I was reading a blog from https://catbirdquilts.wordpress.com/ and it brought a question to mind…How does one go about organizing your stash of fabric? I have a large amount in different totes. I try to sort by color, not quite right. By size, looks just piled up. Seriously I am tired of all these odds and ends of fabric in containers that I did through when I need less than 1/4th of a yard. I started to cut the pieces into squares, then thought, “What if I need a bigger piece of that than a 5 inch square. What do I do with the extra from that square.” Am I over thinking this issue? I can’t throw any of this fabric out, I may need it. I do need help. Any ideas?This is only a very small sample of the totes and baskets of fabric.
One Creative Family 
I struggle with this too. I hate to throw away any fabric.
My system: 1/4 yard cuts and higher are sorted by color and stowed in the drawers of an old dresser (they are stored “fold” up so I can see everything in the drawer at a glance). When a piece gets to less than 1/4 yard odd bits, I sort by color again (they are stored in bins).
Finally, smaller odd pieces, strips, mistakes and blobs are placed in a another bin that I keep out of sight (too messy to deal with). When I need to solve a problem in my head or worry my way through a family challenge, I iron a pile of those odd-ball pieces and cut them into preset squares sizes: 5″, 4″, 3″, 2.5″ 2″, and 1.5″. I find that these are “standard” sizes for my scrap projects. This activity is mindless and its like therapy for me.
I’d like to add some brick sizes to my standard squares, but have not yet done so.
What do I do with my “precuts” you might ask: I sort the 1.5″ squares by color. The others are sorted by size in open bins. I can reach for handful and find what I’m looking for and throw them back in until I’m ready to rifle through them again.
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Those are some great ideas. I have bins and baskets so I guess it is a matter or doing . What is the smallest size that you keep?
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It’s sad but true that I have a real problem — the only thing I’ll throw away is any piece that won’t cut down into a 1.5″ square. I forgot to say I also keep strips in a separate container. I don’t sort them by size.
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I started last night and after about an hour I said enough for tonight. It is a start.
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